News
Open Door - August 2011 page 3
- Neurology services not meeting needs
- NICE guideline revision
- NICE guidance on CCSVI
- FES funding
- Conditional approval for fampridine
- MS record breakers
Neurology services not meeting needs
A report by the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) and the Association of British Neurologists describes neurology services in the UK as poorly organised and not meeting people's needs.
Neurological conditions cause disability in one in 50 people and make up about 10% of GP consultations and emergency medical admissions. However, the UK has just one neurologist per 125,000 people compared to one per 40,000 in the US and the rest of Europe.
Services have mainly developed around large regional neurosciences centres, which has left local district general hospital services undertrained and understaffed. Many people are unable to access the right specialist at the right time and, if admitted urgently to hospital because of their condition, are rarely seen by a specialist neurologist.
Recommendations include improving integration of local services and regional centres of excellence and a significant increase in the number of neurologists.
Royal College of Physicians (RCP), Association of British Neurologists.
Local adult neurology services for the next decade.
London: RCP; 2011.
NICE guideline revision
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) has begun updating the clinical guideline for the management of MS. Originally published in 2003, the development of the guideline involved an extensive review of evidence and defined a reasonable level of care that people with MS should expect from the NHS in England. Since publication, there have been a number of advances in the management of MS that need to be assessed.
NICE has suspended plans for a separate Technology Appraisal of Sativex, licensed as an add on therapy for spasticity. This will be incorporated into the guideline review.
Since 2006 the MS Trust and the RCP have conducted three audits of how MS services have adopted the NICE guideline - the results of the third audit will be published soon.
NICE guidance on CCSVI
NICE has begun to consider guidance on treatment for CCSVI, a narrowing in veins that it is suggested might affect MS symptoms. Provisional recommendations are being drawn up that will be put out to consultation in August and September before final guidance is issued by the end of the year.
FES funding
A decision to restrict funding for FES (functional electrical stimulation) by East Midlands Specialised Commissioning has been put on hold. The decision means that if a physiotherapist feels FES is suitable, people in the East Midlands can apply to have their treatment funded by their PCT.
Conditional approval for fampridine
Fampridine (Fampyra), a drug that can improve walking in MS, has been granted a conditional licence by the European Medicines Agency (EMA). The licence is conditional on results from an ongoing study of long-term efficacy and safety.
The Red Wheeleies
MS record breakers
The Guinness World Record for 'the greatest distance covered by a motorised wheelchair or mobility scooter' has been set by the Red Wheelies scooter formation display team.
The Red Wheelies, a team of women with MS from Kent, covered 154 miles in 24 hours over the weekend of 14/15 May.
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Disclaimer
Open Door articles are reproduced as published. They are not updated to take account of subsequent developments. Use appropriate caution in acting on the information in any article.